


Blue and Gold

by Dancerslife



Category: The Newsroom (US TV)
Genre: F/M, Post Ep - Amen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-24
Updated: 2014-07-24
Packaged: 2018-02-10 06:38:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2014872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dancerslife/pseuds/Dancerslife
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's not the size of the dog in the fight, It's the size of the fight in the dog.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blue and Gold

Will had stayed in the middle of the newsroom with his arm around Mackenzie’s shoulders until the line died. People shared smiles as they came out of his office. Some clapped him on the back of the shoulder and others shook his free hand.  He pulled Mackenzie closer towards the end and gave her another hug before letting her go. The woman was unbelievable.

Mackenzie let everyone go home. She didn’t want anyone to stay. The only person still at his desk was Neal, still talking to Amen when she left with her coat and purse on her arm.  Will was right behind her with his briefcase in hand and coat on his arm. He had invited her over for wine – it wasn’t something that was out of character.

They spent a lot of time together – well. In the office they did. On the phone they had most of their conversations if they forgot to say something at work. He did his best to, not necessarily avoid her, just – Mackenzie McHale frustrated him on various levels and the majority of them involved taking her and kissing her until she was weak in the knees and needed to hold him in order to keep up right. He usually kept those out of sight out of mind.

The ride up to his apartment had been quiet. It had been a while since Mackenzie had been in the apartment. She helped him move in, he remembered. She was going to move in her stuff but she had to go and tell him about Brian which resulted her putting her stuff in storage instead and flying across the world to get shot at and stabbed instead. He read the newspapers, he read the whispers about what _she_ was up to. He knew exactly what had happened to her and despite his feelings for her, the anger that seethed through him, he still cared. He didn’t want to explain to her parents why she was coming to England in a coffin with an American flag draped over it. In truth he was glad he had gotten an email from her saying she was back. That was all the subject said; ‘I’m back in the states –M.’

The elevator announced their arrival and Will stepped off. The replay of his ‘Rudy’ moment replaying through his mind.

 “You know what my favorite scene of the movie is?” Will said, dropping his briefcase by the elevator; moving to hang his coat up in the closet. “The first time Rudy goes into the changing room. Rudy grabs the stool and stands on it and just has at it.”

Mackenzie grinned, taking her coat off. It was cold in New York, but he enjoyed keeping the heater on. He always has and she knew sooner or later the apartment was going to be hot.

She hadn’t seen the movie in years; the last time was with him on vacation somewhere. It was on the television and she had made a mention of never seeing it. He made her sit with him and watch it, giving her insider facts as the movie went on. Somewhere near the middle she told him to shut it so she could watch it in peace. It was then that she found Will’s soft spot for the end.

“We’re gonna go inside, we’re gonna go outside, inside and outside,” Will said, going around the corner, his voice still filtering through the apartment.

Mackenzie followed him around into the kitchen and he already had two glasses on the counter and a bottle of red wine already opened, being poured. It was like he knew this was going to happen.

“And once we get them on the run, we’re gonna keep ‘em on the run,” Will said, handing Mackenzie a glass. He held up his and she toasted him, the clink of glass on glass sounding between them. “Thank you for that.”

Mackenzie nodded, her lips forming a smile around the rim of the glass. “Thank you for the wine.”

Will nodded and they stood in silence. Will leaned against the counter with one hand while the other held onto the wine glass. Mackenzie had a habit of cradling her glasses. She was doing it now – it caused him to laugh.

“What?” she questioned. He shook his head and rolled his eyes.

“You hungry?” Will asked, putting his wine glass down and opening his fridge. “I have bread, something that looks like cheese.”

“I think a glass of wine will be fine,” Mackenzie said. “What did Nina Howard want?”

Will closed the door to the fridge and looked over his shoulder. Mackenzie had the wine glass at her lips again. She was cradling the glass with both hands, looking sheepish over the rim of it.  

“She had a thing-“ Will began. “It doesn’t matter.”

“It’s obviously something if you tried to buy her off with a check to become a silent partner,” Mackenzie said, calling him out on the deal. “Gary told me.”

Will dropped his head in defeat. “There was a story she wanted to run about you and Afghanistan and how ACN hired an incompetent EP to run my show and the only reason you got the job is because you and I –“

“Used to date,” she finished for him.

“Yeah.”

“Yeah,” she repeated, taking a healthier amount of wine. She shook her head and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She was going to explain but he beat her to it.

“You sure you don’t want anything to eat?” Will asked, suddenly overwhelmingly anxious over the silence. “I can call for something or we can go out or –“

“It’s fine,” Mackenzie said. “Really. I had a big lunch.”

Will McAvoy, in his life, only found himself incredibly nervous when it had something to do with Mackenzie. The first time he met her parents, he didn’t sleep much the night before. When he officially asked her to move in with him, instead of drawer here and a couple things left in the closet – he cleaned the apartment he night before so she can move in. Then they were going to move in here – the apartment he brought multiple women to so he can forget the idea of her living there with him.

It was unfair, but it was what he needed to do. That and drink a lot. Smoke some too. Anything to get over Mackenzie McHale. And once he thought he did – there was a series of days when the woman herself didn’t cross his mind – she was in his bullpen.

“I’m glad Elliot is okay,” Mackenzie said, watching Will disappear over the top of the couch. He turned on the T.V., a news program was ending.

Mackenzie checked her watch. It was closing in on 1 in the morning – an early evening for her books. She slipped off her shoes and grabbed her wine glass.

“I spoke with his wife before she got on her flight,” Mackenzie said.  “I’ll talk to Don about it, but Elliot has to take the time off. Sloan can fill in for-“

By the time Mackenzie got around the couch, Will was stretched out, his head propped up on a pillow and his arm. If it was anyone else she would assume they were still awake.

Will on the other hand had a tell. One she was surprise she could still pick up on. It was the way his face was completely and utterly relaxed. No creases in the brow like he was thinking. No upturned corner of his lip like he was ready to make a comment. He was completely relaxed and asleep. He never – he always passed out mid conversation if he was that exhausted.

Mackenzie smiled a small smile and set her glass down. She took the throw blanket from the back of the couch, jostling Will a little, not enough to wake him up apparently and threw it over him. He always liked to be warm.

She went to his head and gently removed his arm – it would be dead in the morning otherwise. She gently set his head back down, allowing his pillow to take the weight. Mackenzie waited for him to get comfortable, to move, to make an acknowledgement that she was there, moving him. But he didn’t. He was still.

“And then we’re gonna go go go go go,” Mackenzie said, sweeping back his hair, away from his eyes. She let her hand stay at the crown of his head, the pads brushing his hair. So many what –ifs had gone through her mind over the past three years. “And we’re not gonna stop till we cross the finish line.”

Mackenzie left soon after. She emptied out the wine glasses, rinsed them out and left them to dry on the rack next to his sink. She slipped her shoes on and her coat, grabbing her purse on the way out the door. She didn’t trust herself to stay much longer. Much less deal with what would happen if he woke up and she was still there.

She left him on the couch knowing sometime in the middle of the night he’d wake and he’d see she had gone, leaving a note behind.

_This is a team they say is good. But I think they’re better. Thanks for the wine. – M_

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading. Leave a review and some kudos.


End file.
